NEW ORLEANS — City officials said, "all options were on the table" when considering how to protect the New Orleans community from a rise in COVID cases that could come if Mardi Gras isn't handled correctly.
Beau Tidwell, the city's director of communication, told reporters New Orleans Police Chief Shaun Ferguson and the Public Safety Team were actively working out how to handle Mardi Gras with the threat of COVID-19, but few details were announced.
"There are a number of options potentially in play here," Tidwell said during Tuesday's press briefing. "For Chief Ferguson, all options are on the table. Those plans are still being worked out."
Current environment
With more than 720 COVID deaths in New Orleans so far, officials said "This is not the time to relax. Please get tested."
"We remain in an unsafe environment, and large gatherings are not safe in that environment," Tidwell said. "They will not be permitted for Mardi Gras day or days leading up to it."
New Orleans barrooms will remain closed as bars continue to sell to-go drinks until after Mardi Gras, regardless of the city's COVID test positivity rate. Even if the numbers get better before Fat Tuesday, New Orleans bars won't be able to sell drinks indoors, Tidwell said.
"Large gatherings spread COVID. COVID kills people. It's almost killed 700 of our brothers and sisters so far," Tidwell said. "We're in a situation where normally this entire city is celebrating — it's different this year. It's different because those 700 people aren't with us."
Tidwell said following COVID guidelines is necessary to get back to Mardi Gras "the way we all know and love," but large gatherings have been happening.
"The mass gatherings we saw on video from Bourbon Street last weekend — those are potential superspreader events. They are unsafe. It's dangerous. It risks lives. It risks the progress that we've made."
Mardi Gras 'very different'
New Orleanians and visitors looking forward to getting out of the house on Mardi Gras should plan ahead for a "very different" Mardi Gras, Tidwell said.
"If you're at home and you're looking to come to New Orleans, don't come here expecting it to be the way it has always been, and that very much includes large gatherings on Bourbon. That's unsafe, and that's not something we want to see happening."
Law enforcement isn't always the best solution
Responding to questions about enforcing current COVID restrictions on large gatherings on Bourbon Street and elsewhere in the city, Tidwell said the city has a preference when it comes to compliance: Talking.
"The way we prefer to get compliance is by talking to them," Tidwell said. "We don't get safer by arresting people; we get safer by getting vaccines in arms and we get safer by people obeying the guidelines."
City officials have been working on how to curb large gatherings that could be superspreader events ahead of Mardi Gras, but Tidwell said there needs to be "a harder look" at how the city has responded to recent large gatherings in the city.
"It's not a matter of just trying to find people and arrest people and just deal with it in that punitive way," Tidwell said. "That immediate law enforcement response isn't the only or the best solution. Certainly, we're looking at ways we can do better."
Tidwell said law enforcement has a role to play, and New Orleans businesses and residents have been working hard to fulfill their role in following the guidelines — but city officials are asking visitors to do the same thing: "Respect the progress that has been made."
Closing the French Quarter?
Tidwell said closing the French Quarter for Mardi Gras to reduce the risk of a COVID spike has been discussed, but no final decisions have been made.
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